Codeless QR code

ABSTRACT

A service provider receives, from a user, picture information captured by a user device from a picture mark associated with a product or service of a merchant. It determines a matching picture image by comparing the picture information with picture images in a server, previously registered by the merchant. It also determines, out of attributes previously registered by the merchant, a matching attribute set uniquely associated with the matching picture image. The attributes may be web links, mobile APPs, or any media files that the merchant desires to communicate to users about its products or services. The service provider then communicates to the user the matching attribute set to be loaded on the user device and direct the user to the web links, mobile APPs, or media files that the merchant predetermined.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/961,759, filed Dec. 7, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/595,128, filed Aug. 27, 2012, now issued as U.S.Pat. No. 9,208,397, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference intheir entirety.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to two-dimensional codes andmore particularly to codes captured on computing devices.

Related Art

QR Code (abbreviated from Quick Response Code) is the trademark for atype of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) first designed for theautomotive industry. More recently, QR codes have become popular outsidethe industry due to its fast readability and large storage capacitycompared to standard UPC barcodes. A QR code consists of black modules(square dots) arranged in a square pattern on a white background and isdetected as a 2-dimensional digital image by a semiconductor imagesensor and is then digitally analyzed by a programmed processor.

QR codes have in recent years become common in consumer advertising andpackaging, due to wide dissemination of smart phones having a barcodereader or a scanner. As a result, the QR code has become a focus ofadvertising strategy, since it provides quick and effortless access tothe brand's website, item, or service.

Despite all the popularity and success QR codes have been enjoying thesedays, one disadvantage or shortcoming is their unattractive appearance.Except for some consumers who might see a geometrical beauty in them, tomost consumers the monotonous, all look-alike two dimensional array ofblack dots in QR codes is simply a turn-off and non-inspiring as theyconvey no impression, memory, or association with the product or servicethey are used with.

Therefore, a need exists to provide merchants a system or way, as asubstitute for conventional QR codes, to communicate to consumers thesame kind of information or benefits as the QR codes do, with a morepleasing or personalized appearance of such a code.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a process a merchant performs inregistering/modifying picture images and associated attributes in anaccount with a service or payment provider, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process a service or payment providerperforms in receiving from a user picture information for a particularproduct or service of a merchant, captured from an associated picturemark, and linking the user to merchant's preset internet links, mobileAPPs, or other information, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is block diagram of a networked system suitable for implementingthe process described herein according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a computer system suitable for implementingone or more components in FIG. 3 according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are bestunderstood by referring to the detailed description that follows. Itshould be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identifylike elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, whereinshowings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of thepresent disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

In one embodiment, a picture mark in the present disclosure is a pictureor image associated with a particular product or service of a merchant,to be shown to consumers. The merchant could be a manufacturer,distributor, retailer, or service provider. In a physical store, thepicture mark may be directly printed on an outer surface of a shelvedproduct, or printed on a paper or plastic label which may be in turnattached to the product, or otherwise displayed close to the product,such as at an adjacent shelf or catalogue hanging. In an online site ofa merchant, the picture mark may be next to a picture or description ofparticular product or service on a screen of a computer or mobiledevice. The picture marks in different embodiments provide similarfunctions that QR codes do in the current market, but have severaladvantages over them.

QR codes consist of square dots arranged in a square pattern on a whitebackground to form a two dimensional geometrical design. As with commonone dimensional bar codes, they are not connected to any images of realthings found in life, and thus, aesthetically not very attractive tomost consumers. But picture marks described herein, whether drawn orphotographed, depict images that people commonly see, find, or arefamiliar with in their everyday lives, such as cars, furniture, people,plants, animals, houses, machines, and etc. An ordinary person seeingthe picture mark can readily recognize or identify what the picture orimage is representing, depicting, meaning, or referring to. In somecases, the picture or image may be identical or similar to the logos,emblems, or other graphic marks the merchants already have been usingfor their products or services. Unlike the common QR codes, the picturemarks are aesthetically attractive and may convey meanings orimpressions to the consumers as the merchants wish. The picture marksmay appear in magazines, on signs, on buses, on business cards, or onalmost any object about which users might need information, as well asshown on electronic media.

In QR codes, information is coded according to well known standards. SoQR codes can be captured or scanned by scanners on the mobile devices,and the may be readily decoded by various kinds of commerciallyavailable local applications in the mobile devices. Once decoded, QRcodes may directly link consumers on their user devices to particularwebsites of merchants for advertisement, promotion, or sales purposes.Or they may be encoded with any information that merchants want tocommunicate to consumers, subject to a limitation in size and capacityof a given QR code, which may be conveyed on the user devices in theform of texts, images, sounds, or clips.

Unlike QR codes, the picture marks are not coded in itself in such a wayas to be decoded by a standalone application in the user device. Withthe help of a service or payment provider, such as PayPal, Inc. of SanJose, Calif., the picture marks can perform almost exactly the same orsimilar functions as the current QR codes. For that, a merchant who hasan account with the payment provider may register picture imagescorresponding to respective picture marks with the service or paymentprovider in advance. The merchant, the registrant, may be the author ofa picture mark who may be either the manufacturer of the product orservice that the particular picture mark is associated with, or theretail seller or distributor of the product or service. The pictureimages to be registered are basically the same as the pictures or imagesthe consumers actually sees on the picture marks displayed on eachproduct and service except that the picture marks may have smalladditions to the registered picture images in the form of marks, labels,logos, icons, or the like, to convey to the payment provider theidentity of the registrant or other information.

Using the registered picture images, the payment provider may be able tolink the consumers, who scan and transmit specific picture images to apayment provider, to various information that the registrant of thepicture images wishes to convey. More specifically, such linkage isimplemented by associating various attributes, registered together withthe picture images by the merchant, with each picture image. Theattributes may include any channels or mediums of information that themerchant desires to convey to potential consumers. In one embodiment,the attributes may be website links bringing the users to a site of amanufacturer, distributor, or retailer immediately on their userdevices, where more information may be conveyed to the consumer. Thewebpage may be developed by the manufacturer, distributor, or retailerfor the purpose of advertising, promoting, or selling particularproducts or services that specific picture marks are attached to. Thepage may contain the merchant's discounted items and other incentives.The webpage may be for the purpose of providing the consumers withinformation on any related products or services from the same merchant,or, it could be a webpage inviting consumers to open an account with themerchant.

In one embodiment, the users may be directed to different web sitesdepending on the current location of the users. Using the GPS functionmost mobile devices carry these days, the location information of usersmay be transmitted to a payment provider together with specific scannedpicture images of a product or service. The registrant of the pictureimages and attributes, whether it is the manufacturer or retailor, maywish to associate a given picture image with multiple different websitesdepending on where the user is. For instance, if the user who transmitsthe picture images is in LA, the registrant may wish to direct the userto a web site specifically developed for locals living in LA, and if theuser is in New York, then to another web site for New Yorkers. For thatpurpose, at the time of registration of picture images and attributes,the registrant may associate, or give instructions to a service providerto do so, different attributes (web links) with a same particularpicture image for communication to users, depending on where the pictureimages is transmitted from.

In another embodiment, the attributes associated with the particularpicture image may be mobile APPs or html5 APPs, which would beautomatically loaded and run on the user device. In still anotherembodiment, the attributes may be alpha-numeric text data, pictures,moving clips or any other media files containing messages or imagesrelated with the products or services, which would be automaticallydisplayed or played on the user's device via an application thereon.

Depending on the attributes, the registered picture images may becategorized into two types of images, a ‘genus’ picture images and a‘species’ picture images. The genus picture images are those associatedwith a common line or similar kinds of products. A species picture imageis a minor variant of a genus picture image, created by slightlymodifying a portion or a feature in the genus picture image or adding aminor feature to it. The modification may be minor such that consumersmay still recognize the modified image as related to the general line ofa product or service represented by the genus picture image, but maycreate distinction to enable the payment provider server to distinguishit from the genus picture image and other species of the same genus soas to associate a correct attribute(s) (web links, mobile APPs,messages, etc.) to it.

In general, a species picture image is registered for conveyingadditional information to that of the ‘genus’ picture image, andthereby, may replicate the function of QR codes in conveying variousinformation to consumers. For example, for a particular kind of productor service line, there may be several products of different grades orprices. There may be variants or related products or services, and themerchant may wish to convey to consumers different messages, or directthem to different web links for different variants of the product orservice. In this case, the merchant need not design totally new picturemarks and accordingly register totally new picture images for eachvariant to do so. Instead, the merchant may design slightly modifiedversions of the genus picture mark associated with the general productline and register them as species picture images with the paymentprovider.

Another example may be when there is a special promotion or sale for alimited period of time for a specific product or service. The merchantmay wish to communicate to consumers special sale prices, printablecoupons, or other promotion offers during that limited time. Again, themerchant need not design a totally new picture mark and accordinglyregister a totally new picture image to convey such special, buttemporary information to consumers. Instead, the merchant may design amodified version of a picture mark to be attached to the product orservice for the promotion time, and register a corresponding pictureimage with the payment provider as a species image, together with thedesired special information. The merchant may have the new informationeither replace the original message or web link associated with thegenus picture image, or be additionally displayed on the user's device,for instance, via another pop up window.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a process 100 a merchant, who may be amanufacturer, distributor, or retailor, performs inregistering/modifying picture images and associated attributes in anaccount with a service or payment provider, according to one embodiment.At step 102, a merchant accesses an account through a merchant device,such as a server, PC, tablet, or other suitable device. Accessing theaccount may include entering any requested identification and/orauthentication information, such as a user name, email address, name,phone number, password, PIN, pass code, etc., onto a field via a devicekeyboard or keypad, or speaking the identifier into a device microphone.Once the merchant has been authenticated, the merchant may be directedto a home page of the payment provider or a merchant account. On thepage, there may be an option to register or modify picture images of themerchant. The option may be presented as a tab, button, or link, whichthe merchant may tap or click on, at step 104, through a touch screen ormouse of the merchant device to initiate the registration ormodification of picture images by the process 100.

At step 106, the merchant may see, on the screen of the merchant device,another tab, button, or link to register picture images of the merchant.The picture images to be registered may be in any publicly used imageformat such as jpeg, jpg, gif, tiff, png, bmp, ps, or pdf. Tapping orclicking on the tab, button, or link may pop up a window that mayrequest the merchant to upload, first, a genus picture image by browsingthrough the merchant device.

Once a genus picture image to register is selected by clicking on theparticular picture image file name, another window may be popped up, atstep 108, for the merchant to enter, in one embodiment, an internet linkor website URL to be associated with the selected genus picture image.In another embodiment, at the same step 108, the pop up window mayprovide a list of mobile APPs or html5 APPs for the merchant to chooseto be loaded and run on the user device. In still another embodiment, atthe same step 108, the merchant may be given a choice to associate thegenus picture image with any media files in texts, pictures, movingclips, or any other format that can be automatically displayed or playedon the user's device through a user application. The media files maydeliver any information related with the product or service. Themerchant may upload the media files from the merchant device in the samemanner with uploading the picture image files.

At the next step 110, the merchant may be asked whether to register anyspecies picture image that might have been designed for deliveringvarious special or extra information to consumers. Once registering aspecies picture image, if any, then at step 112, the merchant may enter,just as in step 108, any attribute(s) to be associated with it such asspecial messages, media, or web links. In this stage, the merchant maybe given an option, in one embodiment, to have the newly enteredattribute either override, or simply added to, the attribute(s)associated with the genus picture image. In the former case, only thenewly entered attributes (web links, APPs, media files) will be loadedon the user device when a consumer transmits to the payment provider themodified picture mark, but in the latter, two attributes may be loadedon the user device consecutively, for example, through a window beingpopped upon a base website.

In an embodiment, at step 108, the merchant may be given an option toenter different website URLs, mobile APPs or html5 APPs, or media filesfor a given genus or species picture image, depending on predeterminedlist of locations. In this case, when finishing registering multipleattributes for each genus or species picture image, the merchant may beasked whether to make the registered attributes location-specific suchthat when a genus or species picture image is transmitted from aparticular location, the user may be directed to an attribute(s)assigned to, or made specific to, that particular location.

When having finished registering all species picture images and relatedattributes, the merchant be asked at step 114, whether to registeranother genus picture image for a different line of product or service.When the merchant wishes to do so, it may repeat the steps from 106 to112. For any reason, if the merchant wishes to use a totally differentgenus picture image for a product or service that is related to or avariant of, the same line of products/services, the merchant may do sostill by registering it as another genus picture image at step 106, notas a species at step 110.

At each step, the merchant can view the information entered or uploaded,and when no more information is to be added, the user is notified toconfirm or modify, if desired, any information or uploaded material. Allthe picture images and attributes registered are stored, together withthe merchant identifier, in the server of either the service provider,and associated with the merchant account. The merchant may add, modify,or delete the registered picture images and the associated attributesany time after the initial set up by accessing the merchant's accountand repeating the process 100 described herein. Note that one or more ofthe steps in any process described herein can be combined with one ormore steps, omitted, and/or performed in a different sequence. Afterfinishing the process, the entered data of the merchant are stored orassociated with the merchant account on the payment provider.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process 200 a service or paymentprovider, such as PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., performs inreceiving from a user picture information for a particular product orservice of a merchant, captured from a picture mark associated thereto,and linking the user to merchant's preregistered internet links, mobileAPPs, or other media, according to one embodiment. For the user toprocess payment transactions through the payment provider, both the userand the merchant may have their own respective accounts with the paymentprovider.

At step 202, the payment provider receives picture information for aparticular product or service from a user through a user application ona user device. The user device may be any device that has a capabilityof wireless communication, a scanner such as Zxing or any other suitableone, and an application that can read and transmit the scanned data tothe payment provider. In another embodiment, a camera may perform thesame job as the scanner when the payment provider has a properapplication to process the transmitted photo images. Examples of theuser devices with such functions may include, but are not limited to, aPC, a mobile phone, a tablet, iPad, etc.

The user application may be developed either by the payment provider orby a third party. The picture information is, first, scanned from apicture mark that may be attached to a product in a merchant's physicalstore, displayed next to a product's photo or a service description inthe catalogue, newspaper or magazine, or shown on a merchant's web pagenext to its products or services. Next the picture information iswirelessly transmitted from the user device to the payment providerthrough the user application. The picture information may include, inone embodiment, not only the digital data of a particular picture imageregistered with the payment provider by a merchant, but an identifier ofthe merchant who is the author of or associated with the picture mark onits product or service. If the identifier of the merchant is included inthe picture information, the payment provider may more readily locateand access the merchant's account. However, even if the identifier ofthe merchant is not included, the payment provider still may be able toidentify the merchant by searching its server for a matching pictureimage out of a plurality of picture images registered by multiplemerchants.

In one embodiment, when receiving the picture information at step 202,the payment provider may further receive location information of theuser from the user device. The location information may be obtainedindependently from GPS function installed in the user device andautomatically transmitted to the service provider together with thepicture information.

Once receiving the picture information, then at step 204, the paymentprovider may determine which registered picture image the pictureinformation corresponds to. The payment provider has in the memory ofits server a plurality of picture images registered by multiplemerchants. The payment provider may derive a picture image out of thedigital data of picture information it received, and then search itsmemory for a particular picture image that may match the derived pictureimage.

If the picture information contains a merchant identifier, the searchwould be faster since the server may have to search only within theaccount information of the identified merchant. But the payment providermay still find a matching picture image even without the merchantidentifier.

At step 206, the payment provider may further determine what attributeor attributes are associated with the matching picture image determined.The registered attributes may include internet or web links, mobileAPPs, html5 APPs, or any media files in texts, pictures, moving clips,or any other known format that can be automatically displayed or playedon the user's device through a user application. In one embodiment, atthe time of registration by a registrant, each of the registered pictureimages may have been uniquely associated to at least one attributes fromthe registered attributes. In this case, the service provider mayquickly be able to locate, and determine, matching attribute(s)associated with the matching picture image found at step 204. In anotherembodiment, when location information of the user has been received bythe payment provider together with the picture information at step 202,the payment provider may locate and determine matching attribute(s), notonly associated with the matching picture image found at step 204, butalso specific to the location obtained from the location information.Such association of attributes for a given picture image to respectivespecific locations may have been done at step 108 of the process 100.

Once the set of attributes that is associated with the matching pictureimage is determined, the payment provider may communicate, at step 208to the user the matching attributes. As described hereinbefore, in oneembodiment the matching attributes, such as web links, may be differentfor users living in different locations even the associated pictureimage is the same for all the locations. The attributes may be loaded onthe user device via the user application installed therein. If theattribute is a web link, the user application may open the link orconnect to a wireless network on the user device. If the attribute is amobile APP or html5 APP, the user application may launch the APP on theuser device. If the attribute is a media file, such as sound or clip, oreven text messages, the user application may play or display text,contact information via either the user application or anotherappropriate application in the user device.

In one embodiment, the payment provider may receive, at step 210, apayment request from the user, if the user has an account with thepayment provider, to process payment for item(s) the user found in theweb link that automatically loaded on the user device by thecommunication of an attribute from the payment provider. In oneembodiment, the payment request may be sent from the user device by theuser selecting, for instance, a “Purchase” or “Buy” tab or button on theuser application. If not already authenticated or logged in, the usermay be asked to enter certain information, such as a user name, an emailaddress, and/or a password/PIN. If partially authenticated, the user mayonly need to enter a password/PIN. Receiving the payment requesttogether with the user's account information, the payment provider maybe able to process the payment immediately, with the knowledge of theidentity of the merchant obtained from the merchant's accountinformation when it communicated to the user the matching attribute set.

In another embodiment, the payment request may be transmitted to thepayment provider directly from the merchant server at the user'srequest. When the user selects the “Purchase” or “Buy” tab or button, oreven says “Pay” on a merchant's website viewed from the user device, themerchant server may obtain the user's information from the userapplication that the user is logged on, and make a payment request tothe payment provider for the items the user chose at the merchant'swebsite.

At step 212, the payment provider processes payment transaction for theitem(s).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a networked system 300 configured to handlea transaction, such as described above, in accordance with an embodimentof the invention. System 300 includes a user device 310, a merchantserver 340, and a payment provider server 370 in communication over anetwork 360. Payment provider server 370 may be maintained by a paymentprovider, such as PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. A user 305, such as abuyer or consumer, utilizes user device 310 to perform a purchasetransaction using payment provider server 370. Note that transaction, asused herein, refers to any suitable action performed using the userdevice, including payments, transfer of information, display ofinformation, etc. Although only one merchant server is shown, aplurality of merchant servers may be utilized if the user is purchasingcommercial items from multiple merchants.

User device 310, merchant server 340, and payment provider server 370may each include one or more processors, memories, and other appropriatecomponents for executing instructions such as program code and/or datastored on one or more computer readable mediums to implement the variousapplications, data, and steps described herein. For example, suchinstructions may be stored in one or more computer readable media suchas memories or data storage devices internal and/or external to variouscomponents of system 300, and/or accessible over network 360.

Network 360 may be implemented as a single network or a combination ofmultiple networks. For example, in various embodiments, network 360 mayinclude the Internet or one or more intranets, landline networks,wireless networks, and/or other appropriate types of networks.

User device 310 may be implemented using any appropriate hardware andsoftware configured for wired and/or wireless communication over network360. For example, in one embodiment, the user device may be implementedas a personal computer (PC), a smart phone, personal digital assistant(PDA), laptop computer, tablet, and/or other types of computing devicescapable of transmitting and/or receiving data, such as an iPad™ fromApple™.

User device 310 may include one or more browser applications 315 whichmay be used, for example, to provide a convenient interface to permituser 305 to browse information available over network 360. For example,in one embodiment, browser application 315 may be implemented as a webbrowser configured to view information available over the Internet,and/or access merchant sites for viewing and purchasing commercialproducts. User device 310 may also include one or more toolbarapplications 317 which may be used, for example, to provide client-sideprocessing for performing desired tasks in response to operationsselected by user 305. In one embodiment, toolbar application 317 maydisplay a user interface in connection with browser application 315 asfurther described herein.

User device 310 may further include a purchase application 325 by whichthe user 305 may transmit a purchase request to the payment providerserver 370. The purchase application 325 may be incorporated into thebrowser 315 in one embodiment such that it may enable the user 305directly making a purchase request from a merchant's website loaded viathe browser 315. Further, the purchase application 325 may have ascanning function to scan, through a scanner in the user device 310, apicture mark of a product or service, either at a physical store or on amerchant's online shopping site, to obtain picture information, andtransmit it to the payment provider server 370 via network 360.

User device 310 may further include other applications 320 as may bedesired in particular embodiments to provide desired features to userdevice 310. For example, other applications 320 may include securityapplications for implementing client-side security features,programmatic client applications for interfacing with appropriateapplication programming interfaces (APIs) over network 360, or othertypes of applications. Applications 320 may also include email, texting,voice and IM applications that allow user 305 to send and receiveemails, calls, and texts through network 360, as well as applicationsthat enable the user 305 to communicate, transfer information, and makepayments. User device 310 includes one or more user identifiers 330which may be implemented, for example, as operating system registryentries, cookies associated with browser application 315, identifiersassociated with hardware of user device 310, or other appropriateidentifiers, such as used for payment/user/device authentication. In oneembodiment, user identifier 330 may be used by a payment serviceprovider to associate user 305 with a particular account maintained bythe payment provider as further described herein. A communicationsapplication 322, with associated interfaces, enables user device 310 tocommunicate within system 300.

Merchant server 340 may be maintained, for example, by a merchant orseller offering various products and/or services in exchange for paymentto be received over network 360. Merchant server 340 may be used for POSor online purchases and transactions. Generally, merchant server 340 maybe maintained by anyone or any entity that receives money, whichincludes charities as well as retailers and restaurants. For example, apurchased item may be a donation to charity in the name of the user 305.Merchant server 340 includes a database 345 identifying availableproducts and/or services (e.g., collectively referred to as items) whichmay be made available for viewing and purchase by user 305. Accordingly,merchant server 340 also includes a marketplace application 350 whichmay be configured to serve information over network 360 to browser 315of user device 310. In one embodiment, user 305 may interact withmarketplace application 350 through browser applications over network360 in order to view various products, food items, or servicesidentified in database 345.

Further, the merchant server 340 may further include a picture markregistration application 353, which may be either incorporated into themarketplace application 350 or separate but linked with the marketplaceapplication 350, for the purpose of providing the service oftransmitting a request, with other necessary data to the paymentprovider, to register picture images and various attributes to beassociated therewith in connection with picture marks on the productsand services of the merchant. The application 353 is connected todatabase 345 to upload picture images and attributes stored therein.

Merchant server 340 also includes a checkout application 355 which maybe configured to facilitate the purchase by user 305 of goods orservices identified by marketplace application 350. Checkout application355 may be configured to accept payment information from or on behalf ofuser 305 through payment service provider server 370 over network 360.For example, checkout application 355 may receive and process a paymentconfirmation from payment service provider server 370, as well astransmit transaction information to the payment provider and receiveinformation from the payment provider (e.g., a transaction ID).

Payment provider server 370 may be maintained, for example, by an onlinepayment service provider which may provide payment between user 305 andthe operator of merchant server 340. In this regard, payment providerserver 370 includes one or more payment applications 375 which may beconfigured to interact with user device 310 and/or merchant server 340over network 360 to facilitate the purchase of goods or services,communicate/display information, and send payments by user 305 of userdevice 310 and as discussed above.

Payment provider server 370 also maintains a plurality of user ormerchant accounts 380, each of which may include account information 385associated with individual users, including funders' profile created bythe user 305. For example, account information 385 may include privatefinancial information of users of devices such as account numbers,passwords, device identifiers, user names, phone numbers, credit cardinformation, bank information, or other financial information, andshipping information which may be used to facilitate online transactionsby user 305. Account information, especially of a merchant, may alsoinclude an identifier of the merchant, one or more picture images, andone or more attributes registered by the merchant. Advantageously,payment application 375 may be configured to interact with merchantserver 340 on behalf of user 305 during a transaction with checkoutapplication 355 to track and manage purchases made by users and whichfunding sources are used, as well as incentives for a user.

Payment provider server 370 may further include a picture mark matchingapplication 387, which is associated with the user's account information385. The picture mark matching application 387 receives from the user305, via the purchase application 325, picture information scanned fromthe user device 310, determines a matching picture image by comparingthe picture information with the registered picture images stored in adata base 395, determine a matching attribute set uniquely associatedwith the matching picture image, and communicate to the user device 310the matching attribute set to be loaded on the user device 310.

The transaction processing application 390, which may be part of paymentapplication 375 or separate, may be configured to receive a purchaserequest from a user device 310 and/or merchant server 340 for processingpayment and storing the transaction in a payment database 395. In anembodiment, such purchase request may come to the transaction processingapplication 390 through via the purchase application 325 in the user'sdevice 310. The transaction processing application 390 may include oneor more applications to process information from user 305 for processingan order and payment using various selected funding instruments asdescribed herein. As such, transaction processing application 390 maystore details of an order associated with a phrase from individualusers.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a computer system 400 suitable forimplementing one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Invarious implementations, the user device may comprise a personalcomputing device (e.g., smart phone, a computing tablet, a personalcomputer, laptop, PDA, Bluetooth device, key FOB, badge, etc.) capableof communicating with the network. The merchant and/or payment providermay utilize a network computing device (e.g., a network server) capableof communicating with the network. It should be appreciated that each ofthe devices utilized by users, merchants, and payment providers may beimplemented as computer system 400 in a manner as follows.

Computer system 400 includes a bus 402 or other communication mechanismfor communicating information data, signals, and information betweenvarious components of computer system 400. Components include aninput/output (I/O) component 404 that processes a user action, such asselecting keys from a keypad/keyboard, selecting one or more buttons orlinks, etc., and sends a corresponding signal to bus 402. I/O component404 may also include an output component, such as a display 411 and acursor control 613 (such as a keyboard, keypad, mouse, etc.). Anoptional audio input/output component 405 may also be included to allowa user to use voice for inputting information by converting audiosignals. Audio I/O component 405 may allow the user to hear audio. Atransceiver or network interface 406 transmits and receives signalsbetween computer system 400 and other devices, such as another userdevice, a merchant server, or a payment provider server via network 360.In one embodiment, the transmission is wireless, although othertransmission mediums and methods may also be suitable. A processor 412,which can be a micro-controller, digital signal processor (DSP), orother processing component, processes these various signals, such as fordisplay on computer system 400 or transmission to other devices via acommunication link 418. Processor 412 may also control transmission ofinformation, such as cookies or IP addresses, to other devices.

Components of computer system 400 also include a system memory component414 (e.g., RAM), a static storage component 416 (e.g., ROM), and/or adisk drive 417. Computer system 400 performs specific operations byprocessor 412 and other components by executing one or more sequences ofinstructions contained in system memory component 414. Logic may beencoded in a computer readable medium, which may refer to any mediumthat participates in providing instructions to processor 412 forexecution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limitedto, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Invarious implementations, non-volatile media includes optical or magneticdisks, volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as system memorycomponent 414, and transmission media includes coaxial cables, copperwire, and fiber optics, including wires that comprise bus 402. In oneembodiment, the logic is encoded in non-transitory computer readablemedium. In one example, transmission media may take the form of acousticor light waves, such as those generated during radio wave, optical, andinfrared data communications.

Some common forms of computer readable media includes, for example,floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magneticmedium, CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, anyother physical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EEPROM,FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other mediumfrom which a computer is adapted to read.

In various embodiments of the present disclosure, execution ofinstruction sequences to practice the present disclosure may beperformed by computer system 400. In various other embodiments of thepresent disclosure, a plurality of computer systems 400 coupled bycommunication link 418 to the network (e.g., such as a LAN, WLAN, PTSN,and/or various other wired or wireless networks, includingtelecommunications, mobile, and cellular phone networks) may performinstruction sequences to practice the present disclosure in coordinationwith one another.

Where applicable, various embodiments provided by the present disclosuremay be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations of hardwareand software. Also, where applicable, the various hardware componentsand/or software components set forth herein may be combined intocomposite components comprising software, hardware, and/or both withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present disclosure. Where applicable,the various hardware components and/or software components set forthherein may be separated into sub-components comprising software,hardware, or both without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. In addition, where applicable, it is contemplated thatsoftware components may be implemented as hardware components andvice-versa.

Software, in accordance with the present disclosure, such as programcode and/or data, may be stored on one or more computer readablemediums. It is also contemplated that software identified herein may beimplemented using one or more general purpose or specific purposecomputers and/or computer systems, networked and/or otherwise. Whereapplicable, the ordering of various steps described herein may bechanged, combined into composite steps, and/or separated into sub-stepsto provide features described herein.

The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present disclosureto the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, itis contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modificationsto the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or impliedherein, are possible in light of the disclosure. Having thus describedembodiments of the present disclosure, persons of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the presentdisclosure is limited only by the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving an image capturedby a user device using a camera of the user device, wherein the imageincludes a picture mark displayed on an item, wherein a general picturemark corresponds to a plurality of items including the item, and whereinthe picture mark for the item is generated specifically for the item fora limited time by modifying the general picture mark; determining alocation of the user using the user device; determining data associatedwith the item from the picture mark and the location, wherein thedetermining the data is performed without decoding the picture mark inthe image, and wherein the data is valid for the limited time; andcommunicating the data to the user device.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the data comprises a web browser link for a browser applicationof the user device, a mobile application executable by the user device,a media file, text data, messaging data, and a purchase option for theitem in a transaction processing application of the user device.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein a merchant selling the item generates thepicture mark for display on the item.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereinthe picture mark corresponds to a visual marking associated with theitem.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the visual marking comprises oneof a label of the item, a logo for a brand or the item, and an icon forthe brand or the item.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determiningthe location comprises receiving a location of the user device using aGPS locator of the user device.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein thedetermining the data associated with the item from the picture mark andthe location comprises matching the picture mark displayed in the imageto registered picture marks in a database and matching the location topicture mark location data for the registered picture marks in thedatabase.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: in response tothe communicating the data to the user device, receiving a transactionprocessing request for the item from a merchant associated with thelocation; and processing the transaction processing request to provide apayment to the merchant from the user.
 9. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising: receiving a request to register the picture mark, whereinthe request comprises the data for the item; and associating the picturemark with the data in a database.
 10. A method comprising: receiving animage captured by a user device using a camera of the user device,wherein the image includes a picture mark associated with an item,wherein a general picture mark corresponds to a plurality of itemsincluding the item, and wherein the picture mark for the item isgenerated specifically for the item for a limited time by modifying thegeneral picture mark; determining, from the image, data associated withthe picture mark, wherein the determining the data is performed withoutdecoding the picture mark in the image, and wherein the data is validfor the limited time; and communicating the data to the user device. 11.The method of claim 10, wherein the data comprises a website link for awebsite, and wherein the website comprises information associated withan item having the picture mark affixed to the item.
 12. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the website provides a checkout webpage for purchaseof the item.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the website furthercomprises at least one incentive available for the item.
 14. A systemcomprising: a non-transitory memory; one or more hardware processorscoupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to executeinstructions from the non-transitory memory to cause the system toperform operations comprising: receiving an image captured by a userdevice using a camera of the user device, wherein the image includes apicture mark displayed on an item, wherein a general picture markcorresponds to a plurality of items including the item, and wherein thepicture mark for the item is generated specifically for the item for alimited time by modifying the general picture mark; determining alocation of the user using the user device; determining data associatedwith the item from the picture mark and the location, wherein thedetermining the data is performed without decoding image data in theimage, and wherein the data is valid for the limited time; andcommunicating the data to the user device.
 15. The system of claim 14,wherein the location of the user is determined using a GPS locator ofthe user device.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the picture markcorresponds to a plurality of items, and wherein the data corresponds tothe plurality of items.